𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 ⚠︎︎ 𝐉. 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑

chapter twenty

TW: Gore, gruesome deaths

The exact opposite of what she had expected to happen, happened. Thalia was fully prepared for the journey to get more difficult as they went on and it never did. They were barely able to escape the snow storm up in the mountains but as they traveled downwards the weather got nicer.

The temperatures were warmer, the snow had slowly stopped falling. They'd even had the good luck of coming across a creek, Thalia washing herself and the baby before they went on.

No map made it difficult but she used her basic survival skills and instincts to keep her going in a good general direction. She let the sun guide her direction, whenever she got the chance she'd slip onto the road and check signs before heading back into the safety of the forest.

Thalia lost track of time in the woods, it was easy to do that, she felt as though she was going crazy when she saw hope of the city. The giant Salt Lake City sign made her feel some glimmer of joy, looking down to the baby who was happily babbling away, strapped to the woman's chest with that same old blanket.

"She is going to love you... yeah..." She pet the blonde hair atop her head, shushing her when she made a random noise, a hint of a smile on her face all the while. "Let's go find our family. How does that sound, Daisy?"

Even Thalia felt selfish naming the child herself but she had no other name ideas and she refused to just call her sweetheart any longer. She deserved to have an identity, she didn't want to have anything else ripped from her at such a young age.

The newborn just smacked her lips, closing her eyes once more and falling into a deep slumber like she normally did. Thalia sighed, slightly disappointed in her companion, it'd been too long since she's had people she actually wanted to talk to and this one couldn't even respond.

On she went, daring to walk down the empty road in the dead of night, keeping her eyes on the tall buildings ahead of her. If the Fireflies were in the city they'd find her far before she found them.

Then, she would just have to pray she found Joel and Ellie. She missed them far more than she would ever admit, the two most important parts of her life were gone and without them the world seemed dull, grey, and everything empty.

She was grateful for that numbness though, it kept her head on straight and allowed her to act out the actions she would need for survival. It was what she did a mere day ago.

Thalia held her gun out, the man standing before her had a rifle strapped to his chest and for some insane reason he didn't have it pointed to her. His eyes were skipping between her and the baby that was sprawled across her chest, snuggled into her grey hoodie.

"Put the gun down." He chuckled, low and almost sinister, "Says the girl with a gun." When he made no moves to take off the rifle, she flicked her safety off, "Don't make me say it again."

"That your baby? She's a pretty little thing." The way he looked at them both, she didn't hesitate. One shot between his eyes and he dropped, fell to the forest floor with a large thud, branches snapping beneath his weight.

Thalia stepped forward and grabbed his rifle, stealing his jacket as well and layering that over her hoodie. The extra layers kept Daisy hidden to any prying eyes, added an extra layer as the only thing she had to wear was an old onesie that had been stuffed in the bottom of the formula bag.

That was how she found herself here, rifle crossed over her and the baby's body as she crept towards a trailer on the side of the road. There was a light inside, barely visible if she hadn't been on hyperdrive since those raiders had shown up at the research center.